Ferguson police officer shoots, kills teen; community outraged

FERGUSON, MO (KTVI) -A community is shocked and angered after a Ferguson police officer shot and killed an 18-year old in the Canfield Green apartment complex Saturday afternoon. At the request of the Ferguson Police Department, the St. Louis County Crimes Against Persons Unit has taken over the investigation of the shooting. The Ferguson police chief personally called the St. Louis County chief to ask for help. The police officer involved in the shooting has been put on paid administrative leave.

The officer involved is a six year veteran of the Ferguson Police Department.

In a news conference Sunday morning, St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar provided more information on the investigation so far. He stated that around Noon, a Ferguson officer encountered two teenagers on the street. As he was exiting his police car, one of the two teens allegedly shoved the officer back into the cruiser and assaulted him. Chief Belmar says there was struggle over the officer’s weapon and at least one shot was fired inside the car, hitting no one. After the initial alleged assault, they exited the car. Belmar says the officer then fired at the teen or teens as they ran away. One teen was shot multiple times and died at the scene.

Witnesses to the shooting identified the victim as Michael Brown, 18. They say he was walking in the middle of a street with a friend, Dorin Johnson, when a Ferguson officer drove up and ordered them to the sidewalk. Johnson said they told him they were a minute away from their destination and then they would be out of the street. After a verbal confrontation, witness Piaget Crenshaw said the officer got out of his car and fired a shot. Both teens ran, she said, and another shot was fired. Johnson hid behind a car, but said his friend stopped after a second shot was fired at him. Crenshaw and Johnson say the teen held up his hands to show he did not have a weapon, however the officer fired at him two more times and he collapsed and died in the street.

St. Louis County Police Chief Jon Belmar says that all findings of the investigation will be turned over the St. Louis County Prosecutor’s Office.

Protesters of the violence gathered outside the fire department where the news conference was held, eventually making their way inside the building. Chanting could be heard during the news conference.

134 comments

Nobody knows the story. Everybody is going off here-say at this point. You pick a side based off of which is more appealing to you. The police say there was an altercation between the officer and the subject. The public says the subject was just walking down the street minding his own business and an officer came up to him and shot him for being black.

Do officers just shoot people for no reason?
Do people go after officers for no reason?

Which one of those questions is more likely to have the answer be yes?

You can’t go off rumors. You gotta wait for the facts to come out. And emotions are high, everybody is pulling the race card, people are going to believe whatever is the most outrageous, because they don’t want to think that their “son” or whomever got shot for being stupid. Or people don’t wanna believe that a cop is racist.

So lets just all keep a level head until we know more about whats going on. And stop being obnoxious.

ray

Billy

Are we all going to ignore the elephant in the room? Doesn’t walk up to, and push the officer = still alive. Should the officer be arrested? Absolutely. Did the kid make a dumb and dangerous decision? Absolutely

There have been numerous articles on this story; none of which in any of thee eyewitness accounts match. The only thing that matched in the eyewitness account was the boys were walking in the street. One eyewitness claimed the officer never left his car and grabbed the boy by his throat. If that were true, it would have meant he leaned close enough to the window for the officer to even grab him. Then they stated the officer chased them and fired multiple shots. Another account said the officer never left his car and shot from the safety of his car. A third account states the officer got out of his car and shot from behind it. Also not a single eyewitness has come forward with the race of the officer nor has the department released the race of the officer. So there is much speculation this was a racial hate crime by an officer whose race is still yet; unknown. I will reserve judgement until all of the facts and forensic evidence have been given to the public. What I will say is this; it is beyond disgraceful and embarrassing for this country to have people looting and stealing making further innocent parties victims. That type of behavior is something I expect from terrorists, not my fellow Americans. I’m sick and tired of people portraying some sort of victim and believing that the entire world should pay with their property and lives simply because of what one person does based upon hearsay, gossip, and rumor. Self accountability and responsibility is not a difficult highway. If you believe you are such a victim in this life; wait till the next when you are being judged by God Himself. There will never be an excuse for your behavior(s) as He is very clear on that note.

Sounds to me like these two have no respect for anyone. The one is lucky he didn’t shot to. Why aren’t they getting this upset when one of them kills another one. News said there was another shooting last night. Why aren’t they upset about that?

joe

Steve

I want to hear both sides before making a judgement. I’m sure that the police officer didn’t shoot and unarmed civilian for no reason. But at the same time if both suspects were fleeing and unarmed why fire at them as they run away? To many unknowns to jump to a conclusion on right or wrong. And the “race” issue will not be solved until both sides let it go. Stop screaming racism at every slight against a black male or female and look at the whole picture and the whole story before the “race” card is thrown down.

Karma

If you were not there when it happened, why are you speaking on this trying to take a side? A family is hurting over this. It does not matter what color they were or what they were doing, a soul was lost yesterday to some nonsense.

lsl guy

mommallama

Now if this were a white/ black/orange cop that shot a white unarmed kid it wouldn’t be looked at twice. Its racist bulls**t. Didn’t you know black people don’t do any wrong, its us white people killing them in the street and keeping them from going to school and getting jobs.

Ray

In reading all of the articles about this incident not once have I read anything about the cop being white. All I’ve read is he was a 6 year veteran. Maybe the real issue here is that fact an unarmed civilian was killed by a person who is paid to protect civilians.

joe

sad. so sad. My prayers go out to the victim and the family. but the looting and general unlawfullness going on tonight is a very poor response to this. a peaceful protest would be appropriate, not stealing and violence.

This will never, ever stop! Ignorance meets racial profiling…incites violence in everytown USA! Oh, if we could all just get along….somehow….someday! No respect and no love. What a terrible and senseless tragedy for the victim’s family!

Manda

prolifeconserv

Another predominately black neighborhood, another shooting. Nothing new! If they had to worry about working instead of committing crimes, they wouldn’t get shot. This is what welfare, food stamps and section 8 housing causes. Go out and get a job!

DaleJR

I have a guy on my FB that I went to high school with — he lives near Ferguson — works at a mechanic shop near there with people that live in this neighborhood. I know it’s 4 degrees of separation, but apparently the family members of my friends co-workers said that the officer who shot Brown was indeed an African-American police officer. I can’t prove it, just sharing what I was told on FB. All of the race baiting is out of bounds — even if the officer’s race is found to be other than black. The issue is the police brutality. Not racism.

Growup andl earntolove

Police are hired to protect and serve, that does not mean harassing a kid for walking in the street and it does not give a police office the authority to make someone stop walking on a public street. People in my neighborhood, mostly white walk in the street instead of the sidewalk all the time, no one cares.

Why did the police office fire his service revolt when there was not a threat? If the police had done his or her job, which is to protect and serve the kid would still be alive today.

For those who believe all blacks receive welfare, food stamps, section 8 ,etc; it show a lack of wisdom about demographics in this country. What I find sad is this – since slavery ended whites have done everything possible to ensure blacks are unable to receive an education, find a job and live as they (white) lives, simply because of their skin color. If you folks would stop projecting your hate onto blacks then maybe this country would be a better place to live for everyone. Because everytime someone shoots someone else and receive treatment at a hospital without insurance, we all paid.
Last time I check slavery is the reason this country prosper in the early years … free labor and selling humans that were stolen from Africa or Freedmen from the North (e.g 12 years a slave).

The lack of humanity and hatred is what is destroying this country. When all is said and done, everyone become black at some point … hence the quick burial of white people …!

lisa carter

Lattonya

It’s a shame how most of you are actiing on this post. Then you wonder why people feel like Missouri is still a racist state. Look at your comments it saddens me that all of you have no compassion for each other. Just making ignorant racial comments. Then you deny we have a racial division problem. You have proved it already! Nobody has once asked why was he and his friend being stopped by the police as they were walking? Nobody has asked why was his body on the streets uncovered for over 4 hours? Nobody has once realized that the real peaceful protestors had nothing to do with the riots! Not all black people are alike just like any other race you have good and bad people. Instead of us learning how to appreciate our differences most of you would rather keep the racial war going. This is a timie for prayer for the world not just only in St. Louis, and Ferguson. We need prayer and we need to work together to find a solution to the racism and racial profiling. As long as you keep fueling the racism it will contiinue. I forgive you for you know not what you do! God Bless

nicole

Brown was a 18 year old adult!!! Not a baby, boy, little teen. Fought with a cop and might have killed the cop discharging the firearm in the vehicle. Getting shot after all that….we will see if cop was within right to use lethal force when all facts come out. Only animals react out of ignorance….

steve

iamwinstonsmith

Yeah let’s just all immediately assume that it’s all racist and the unfortunate dead person was completely and totally innocent. That will solve everything. Maybe we can find some pictures of him when he was 8 years old.

It’s not about “black men” being more “respectful of authority”. It’s about accepting responsibility for one’s own actions instead of blaming EVERYTHING on racism.

Phatlov

Steve

And it’s RACIST, not RASCIST!!! And, it’s not “White is the minority “KNOW”, it is spelled “NOW”. Obviously our tax dollars have not worked for you as well. You should just give up correcting English, because you obviously didn’t learn much yourself.

Finally someone not blind here.
Yes BET ,while news channels all over USA,movies has to add blacks to avoid being sued,lol BET EVERYONE IS BLACK,.
I hate to heear those self pity drama,” we are blacks therefore we suffer the racism ” this is a plataform for irresponsible citizens to intimidate law enforcement.
We all read the news,blacks are on a criminal rampage lately,from Chicago,Philadelphia,L.A.,Camdem.
Their misbehavior is out of control,the police has to act strongly regardless of what color criminals are,my tax money is paying for publi safety.

The police had the dogs and the guns because in situation like this the likelihood of an outburst of violence is expected.
Now in regards of ypur coment and the third world country,perhaps you have not been out of the usa ever.There are classes of USA that is worse than 5th world class citizen.
Every time a black individual gets shot by police or another ethnic group member ,there is a protest.
Read the news daily you’ll see that black males are mugging females and males of non black race everyday in USA, philly is a good example of it,two unarmed young females shot at point blank because of a purse. I didn’t see Al Sharpton saying anything,there wasn’t any protests, no race card pulled.
Police has to do their job,confronting anyone that has a gun is stupid,confronting a police officer ,thats bottom line retardad.
Every criminal out there is such a nice wonderful person,after gets shot.
I am not a pro police kind of person ,but I am not con either,we need police.
The job is hard I wouldn’t wanna do it. Tragedy ??
Well im not so sure if it was such a great loss,because if as a teen the individual is assaulting armed police officer,after grown up ,how safe the civilians would be around him? Fathering a child or six even ten its easy and lits of fun too,but if you cannot live as an example of good moral behavior and cant educate them,it only will bring headaches to the society,and costs too.
Can you imagine how much money will be spent in legal fees and paperwork now ,just because someone decided to act as a thug against someone who’s paid to keep law and order for all of us ? Think about it

Lee

If the police ask you to get out of the street with respect GET OUT OF THE STREET! And if someone comes for my Gun Black or White I would shoot! And if everyone is angry blocking the streets, that’s NOT SMART! Your anger is not getting help for others! That is really Christian Like!

resa

he didnt have to mention race! you can see by the footage that this is a majority black housing area. what does that have to do with an 18 year old child, college student getting shot anyways? you dont know anything about those ppl and you dont know them personally to say they have the lowest common denominator. With that said i encounter alot of young adults from “those other neighborhoods” that are well off, given everything but dont know how to address a letter or dont know where to put a stamp. i guess thats more money wasted in their school district too. My heart goes out to the parents.

davidjcu

Actually, north county schools meet the national average in annual spend per student. This is higher than most of missouri but lower than the more affluent areas of St. Louis. Typically, your poorer areas should receive more funding as the lack resources and schools have to do more for students such as significantly more subsidized lunches. Let’s also not mention the fact that the funds are completely mismanaged.

Edna

1776blues

Mommabear

It just amazes me just how little people understand the constitution as for your comment on protesting. 1st amendment we have the right to freedom of speech to speak against the government and we have the right assemble peacefully in protest. We have the right to travel freely as United States citizens and cannot be detained unnecessarily. Were these two young men breaking any laws? Were they suspected of committing a crime? It is not a crime to walk down the street being black that is called racial profiling! The police still have yet to release how many times this young man was shot just how many bullets were fired from the police officers gun? That should be as easy as counting shell gun cases, Checking gunshot wounds for entry and exit of bullets and seeing how many bullets are left in the chamber of officer trigger happy! That officer was wrong to discharge his weapon on the excuse that he was pushed back in his car “if that even happened” deal with it because it still does not give him the right to shoot with deadly force! If that was a civilian they would be charged with murder so time to arrest officer trigger happy and put his butt hurt pride rear in the slammer. Sorry but there are laws in Missouri and the police should be first to follow them while understanding they are not above them. The officer was not in fear of his life when the victim was found 35 ft away from the patrol car the kid was trying to flee he was not looking to harm officer trigger happy! All I am saying is there were other options available to this officer than to use deadly force. I certainly would not want this officer back on the streets EVER since he cannot abide by his oath to protect and serve shooting first asking questions later. If it is such a hard job do not do it period! I do not feel we owe respect to anyone officer who has absolutely no regard for human life!

Its not about race its about police brutality I’m from Philly and happens more then you I’m glad the people of this town are pulling together and making a stand the cop was in the wrong there was no gun found so no reason for deadly force no justice no peace

It’s amazing if this were a white kid. You wouldn’t see people protesting to the point of damaging property…what about all those people they just put out of a job bye tearing apart a quiktrip..boy that’s real mature. …

Hattie-Mae

Do you even know any part of history? And if you do, please, tell me where in that history it says that black people came WILLINGLY to this piece of shit part of the world. How you gonna say that the African Americans are the racist ones when you’re accusing a whole race of people of being racist when you’re telling everyone to go back to Africa. And if you knew anything about your own people, assuming that you’re really Native American, you’d know that the native Americans believed that the land belonged to no one. Smh

Winter

GP

Hattie-Mae, I do not know what history book you have been reading! Must be the white man’s history book, but NDNs knows who land this is and has been before it was settled by outsiders. You go to any reservation or Native land and preach this nonsense, watch some hostility from the elders and young NDNs. I have been NDN all my life and I watch every race, even natives destroy America’s spirit and natural resources. Always taking more than is needed and never giving back. I am not saying you do this and I hope you are a respectable person, which sounds like you are. I hope that justice will be served over this incident and whoever is at fault will be punished.